TORONTO, CA (CelebrityAccess) – The Ontario Music Fund has released its annual list of grant recipients, and Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., Universal Music Canada Inc. and Warner Music Canada Co. were the big winners once again this year.
Collectively, the three majors received $1.75 million of the funding, with Universal taking home $800,000, while Sony and Warner received $400,000 and $550,000, respectively.
The OMF, which is now in its fifth year of operation, issues more than 200 grants for a total of $14 million in funding annually. The fund is “aimed at strengthening and stimulating growth in Ontario’s music companies and supporting this growing sector” through four key music grant programs: Music Company Development, Music Industry Development, Music Futures and Live Music.
“Our government understands that the music industry is vital to the province’s economic prosperity and a huge part of our cultural landscape and identity,” said Daiene Vernile, Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.
Additional funding went to indie labels such as Arts & Crafts and Six Shooter Records, who were given $470,000 and $380,000, respectively; Black Box Recordings $225,000; eOne Music Canada $140,000; Linus Entertainment $270,000; Last Gang Records $240,000; Royal Mountain Records $140,000; and Cadence Music Group $240,000.
Live Nation Ontario Concerts and the Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall each received $150,000.
Individual artists such as Metric, A Tribe Called Red, Arkells, Born Ruffians, dvsn, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Shaun Frank, Danko Jones, Dragonette, City and Colour, Tanika Charles, Jeremy Dutcher, Good Lovelies, Cowboy Junkies, Silverstein, the Strumbellas, Zeds Dead, and more also received varying amounts.
You can view the complete list of successful applicants here.